1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing system, a printing apparatus, and a printing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been known an information processing apparatus that generates print data based on input image data, and a printing system that includes a printing apparatus which executes print processing based on the print data generated by the information processing apparatus.
In the above-mentioned printing system, it is assumed that image data stored in an operating apparatus, such as a cellular phone or a digital camera, is caused to be printed by the printing apparatus via the operating apparatus. In this case, the printing apparatus does not have the function (print data-generating function) of generating print data from image data, and therefore it is necessary to generate print data from the image data using the information processing apparatus having the print data-generating function. It should be noted that in print data from the image data using the information processing apparatus having the print data-generating function. It should be noted that in general, the print data-generating function is realized by execution of an application called a printer driver by the information processing apparatus.
Now, some operating apparatuses do not have performance capabilities that can incorporate a print data-generating function. Further, even if an operating apparatus has performance capabilities that can incorporate a print data-generating function, since the print data-generating function is various in type, the operating apparatus is required to have all types of print data-generating functions having a possibility of being used by the same, which requirement is very difficult to meet. This makes it necessary for the operating apparatus to cause an information processing apparatus provided with the print data-generating function to generate print data.
However, if the operating apparatus does not know the access destination (address) of the information processing apparatus provided with the print data-generating function, it cannot cause the information processing apparatus to generate print data.
To eliminate this inconvenience, conventionally, there has been proposed a method in which in response to a print request transmitted from an operating apparatus to a printing apparatus, the printing apparatus transmits the access destination of an information processing apparatus provided with the print data-generating function to the operating apparatus (see e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-352584).
This method enables the operating apparatus to know the access destination of the information processing apparatus, and it is possible to generate print data using the information processing apparatus.
However, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-352584, image data to be converted into print data is transmitted from the operating apparatus (portable information apparatus) to the information processing apparatus (print service server) without via the printing apparatus.
Therefore, this technique has a problem that if the operating apparatus and the information processing apparatus cannot directly communicate with each other, it is impossible to generate print data using the information processing apparatus even if the operating apparatus knows the access destination of the information processing apparatus.
For example, if the operating apparatus is provided with only a communication unit enabling short distance communication, such as infrared communication, and the operating apparatus and the information processing apparatus having the print data-generating function are distant from each other, the operating apparatus cannot communicate with the information processing apparatus even if the operating apparatus knows the access destination of the information processing apparatus.
Further, when there are a plurality of information processing apparatuses that have the print data-generating function, or when an information processing apparatus includes a plurality of printer drivers, it is necessary to select which information processing apparatus or which printer driver is to be used for generating print data.
When the information processing apparatus or the printer driver is to be selected, however, it is necessary to take various conditions, such as security, a type of connection, and so forth, into account, which can make the selection difficult to perform.